Foreign docs win extended right to practise

Foreign doctors were granted continued registration in Sri Lanka until March 30, 2014 after filing a petition to the Supreme Court to extend registration by one year.

In their petition, Durdan’s Hospital senior resident consultant cardiac surgeon Dr. K. Kesava Dev and anaesthesist Dr. Madhur Malik, and Nawaloka Hospital’s Dr. Hemant Digambar Waikan, Dr. Landeep Krishan Dutta Sharma and Dr. Padmanabh Gajanan Thakar cited SLMC, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena, Ministry Secretary Dr. Nihal Jayathilake, Health Services Director-General Dr. U.A. Mendis, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Secretary Wijaya Ransi and the Attorney General as respondents.

The doctors claimed the Sri Lanka Medical Council’s alleged curtailments and /or non-granting and/or imminent refusal of registration of foreign doctors violated the doctors’ fundamental rights to equality and equal protection of the law as well as the freedom to engage in their lawful profession.

The Supreme Court bench that heard their petition comprised Chief Justice Mohan Pieris and Justices Priyasath Dep and Rohini Marasinghe.

President’s Counsel Faisz Musthapha with Faisza Markar, instructed by Gowry Thavarasa, ap- peared for the doctors of Durdan’s Hospital while President’s Counsel D.S Wijesinghe with J.C. Weliamuna and Kaushalaya Molligoda appeared for the doctors of Nawaloka. President’s Counsel S.A. Parthalingam appeared for the SLMC.